Autoimmune Disease Specialist
Your immune system is supposed to protect you from getting ill. But what happens when it turns on your body and begins attacking healthy cells, making you sick in the process?
Kiren Sahni, DO, FACR, treats people with autoimmune disease — the condition that causes your immune system to stop functioning — at Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
If you have an autoimmune disease and need help managing the symptoms, make an appointment today.
What is an autoimmune disease?
Your immune system protects you from bacteria and viruses by attacking foreign cells. A functioning immune system can identify foreign invaders. However, if you have an autoimmune disease, it can't tell the difference between harmful cells and healthy ones.
Some autoimmune diseases, like lupus, target the entire body. Others, like rheumatoid arthritis, target just one organ or part of the body.
The team at Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy creates individualized treatment programs to help patients manage their autoimmune disease symptoms.
What are some of the most common types of autoimmune disease?
Rheumatologists like the providers at Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy are extensively trained in treating autoimmune diseases. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune disease. Here's a closer look at some of the most common.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
SLE is the most common form of lupus and affects the joints, kidneys, brain, and heart. Its symptoms include fatigue, rashes, and joint pain.
Scleroderma
Scleroderma isn't one but a group of diseases that cause the skin and connective tissues to harden and tighten. Its symptoms vary depending on what type of scleroderma you have.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis affects around one-third of people who have psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that affects the skin. Psoriatic arthritis causes joint stiffness, swelling, and pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Unlike other types of arthritis, RA isn’t associated with advanced age. It can begin in your 30s and is caused by the immune system attacking the joints. Symptoms include stiff and painful joints that may appear red and feel warm to the touch.
It’s common for Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy to work with other specialists to provide you with a holistic treatment plan.
What causes autoimmune disease?
It's unclear why some people are more susceptible to autoimmune disease than others. Some autoimmune diseases are genetic and several members of a family may have the same condition.
Other families carry genes that make them more susceptible to autoimmune disease generally, with several different types of autoimmune disease occurring within the same family group. And some diseases appear to be more common among specific ethnic groups.
Researchers also believe that certain lifestyle factors can affect your likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease, like diet, substances and chemicals you encounter, and infection exposure.
Take control over your autoimmune disease; call Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy today to make an appointment.